Means for bank switch installations



June 6, 1939. D. T. WADSWORTH 2,161,492

MEANS FOR BANK SWITCH INSTALLATIONS Filed Aug. 21, 1928 4 Sheets-$heet l J 1939- D. T. WADSWORTH 2,151,492

MEANS FOR BANK SWITCH INSTALLATIONS Filed Aug. 21, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2a y/K/TMacuon/A June 6, 1939. D. T. WADSWORTH 2,161,492

MEANS FOR BANK SWITCH INSTALLATIONS Filed Aug. 21, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 jga.

June 6, 1939. D. T. WADSWORTH 2,161,492

MEANS FOR BANK SWITCH INSTALLATIONS Filed Aug. 21, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 smudge Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to The Wadsworth Electric Manufacturing Company, Covington, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Application August 21, 1928, Serial No. 300,995

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in wiring channels for banking switches and has for an object the provision of means which are adaptable to any arrangement of switches or wiring in banked switch installations.

Another object is to provide wiring channel elements of this type which are easy to install and to which switches of various types and also other channel elements may be connected to produce substantially any desired arrangement.

Another object is to provide for the extension of banks or rows of switch boxes over walls which are disposed at angles to one another.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in' the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a series of channel elements 01' the invention assembled in a bank of switches.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental perspective view of a channel element of the invention and showing, in dotted lines, the manner of mounting a switch thereon.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a switch box adapted for connection with the channel element of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a switch box and a channel element associated therewith for separately housing the line and load wires.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a switch and a pair of channel elements of the invention arranged for separately housing the line and load wires with separate service fuse boxes.

Fig. 7 is a view taken on line 'l| of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view showing a banking arrangement of switches extending through a 90 angle and through a 270 angle.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a channel elbow for use on a 90 turn.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an elbow channel for use on a 270 angle.

The channel element of the present invention is adapted for use with ordinary switches as well as with the banking type of switch such as is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,522,926 issued January 13, 1925, and also in connection with the wiring channel elements disclosed in the co-pending application Serial No. 135,457 filed by David .T. Wadsworth September 14, 1926.

The channel element of the present invention comprises a U-shaped or channel shaped metallic box having a base 2| and a pair of angularly dis- Posed walls 22 and 23 which constitute the top and bottom respectively of a wiring channel when the elements are installed. The opposed ends of the element are open and arranged for telescoping connection and interlock one/with the other and are furthermore adapted for closure by end caps such as are disclosed in the said co-pending application Serial No. 135,457. A removable cover 24 is adapted to fit over the edges of walls 22 and 23 and to be suitably secured thereto by any such means as screws 25 and to be sealed against unauthorized access by a wire or strap type seal such as 28 extending through coinciding slots in the cover 24 and bottom wall 23. In the present invention channel members of the type Just described are provided in units of suitable lengths each of which has disposed in its top wall an enlarged boss 28. The boss 28 may be integral with the top wall 22 or, as shown in Fig. 3, the wall 22 may be apertured as at 29 and a separate member 28 comprising the boss having flanges 30 is inserted in the aperture 29 with the flanges 30 secured to the wall 22 by any suitable means, but preferably by spot welding. Obviously in some embodiments, it is desirable to secure the flanges 30 onto the outer face of the wall 23. The boss 28 has an aperture 3| which provides access through the boss, through aperture 29 in the top wall 22 into the interior of the channel. On

either side of aperture 3i is a threaded bore 32 adapted to receive a screw 33. A switch cabinet, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 as 34, has in its bottom wall 35 a pair of key-hole apertures 36 spaced apart similarly to the apertures 32 in the boss 28. A central aperture in the bottom of the switch cabinet is adapted to co-incide with the aperture 3l in the boss 28. By the simple operation of setting the switch box 34 over the aperture so that the heads of screws 33 pass through the key-hole apertures 38 in the bottom of the box, and then pushing the box rearwardly so that the shank of the screw enters the restricted portion of the key-hole slots the switch box is mounted and positioned relative to the channel member. The fastening is complete upon tightening the screws 33. As indicated in Fig. 1 a plurality of the wiring channel elements may be readily telescoped one upon the other. It is necessary that only the first of the wiring channels be definitely positioned and secured to a switch board or a wall whereupon the required number of elements may be readily connected thereto by telescoping the ends. The bosses 28 having a predetermined position intermediate the ends of each element the switch cabinets such ill) as 31 are all mountable thereon with a minimum of time and eifort. The removable covers 24 permit of a neat workmanlike job of wiring without any of the tedious eiIort heretofore required with closed conduits.

As will be noted in Fig. 2 the bottom wall 23 has a large knockout 3H! and .a pair of! adjacent knockouts 360 which coincide axially and agree substantially in size with the apertures II and 32 in the boss in the top wall 22. Thus the wiringchannel element may be connected with a switch on the wall 22 and with a similar wiring channel element beneath it on the wall 23, the pattern of removable knockouts in both switch box and wiring channel wall being substantially as shown in'Figs. 2 and 4. It should be noted that the distance between the forward restricted end of aperture 38 and the rear wall 38 of'the switch box 31 is such that the rear wall 38 of the box will be in a plane with the base 2| of the wiring channel when the screws 33 are seated snugly in the forward restricted portion of the apertures 36. The knockouts 36 and ill) in the bottom of the switch cabinet are arranged similarly to those in the bottom wall 23 of the channel. This same relationship obtains between the bottom wall 23 of one wiring channel and the boss 28 on an adjacent channel, so that these may likewise be very readily assembled in tandem or parallel.

A modification of this structure may be had by arranging the large knockout and the small screw receiving knockouts with their diameters all lying in a common longitudinal line on the channel element. The bosses are similarly arranged. In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a channel 39 having a boss 40 with screws 4| holding a channel banking type of switch 42 in position. In this arrangement line wires may pass through the switches 42 (which are especially adapted for that purpose) while the load wires may be taken through the knockout in the bottom of the switch, and through the aperture in the boss 40 into the channel 39. In Fig. 6 isshown a switch box 43 of ordinary type arranged with a pair of parallel and connected wiring channels 29 for separately housing the line and load wires, the connections between them and the switch box being made through the apertures in the bosses 40 and through the knockouts in the bottom of the switch box and the bottom wall of the channel 39, both of which are arranged as shown in Fig. 7, wherein the small knockouts 44 receive the screws 4| and the larger knockout 45 between them is removed to-receive the wire from the switch box orchannel element above it.

In Fig. 8 there is illustrated diagrammatically a plan view of a wall whereon three banks of switches are disposed on wall portions connected by both salient and reentrant 90 angles. A bank of switches 46 aligned on a wall 41 and a second bank of switches 48 arranged on a wall 48 may be connected at the reentrant angle 49 by an elbow member indicated generally as 50. The elbow member likewise has bases 2| and top walls 22, bottom walls 23 and removable covers 24. The top walls 22 and bottom walls 23 each have overlapping portions secured together by rivets or spot welds SI for the salient angle '52. Between wall 48 and 53 there is provided a salient elbow member 54 shown in Fig. 10. This is structurally quite similar to the member 50 in Fig. 9, the distinguishing feature being that the removable covers 24 form a salient angle instead of a reentrant one.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the wiring channel elements provide for simple, expeditious and efficient connection with switch boxes and the like and also with other channels (see Fig. 6) and that the knockouts in the bottoms of the boxes and the bottoms of the channels are arranged with relation to the openings in the bosses of the channels so that the load and line wires may be directed into and from any of such boxes or wiring elements in an orderly fashion. The end caps 55 serve to close any desired end of the channel elements and may furthermore be provided with knockouts for receiving conduits such as 56. Individual conduits 51 for the load wires may be readily connected through suitable knockouts in the wiring channel elements 58 where desired.

These elements together with the elbow members 50 and 54 provide substantially a universal wiring system for switch banks and meter installations. Such systems are characterized by adaptability for simplification of practically any installation and are further characterized by their adaptability to the close coupling of switch boxes with the top walls of the channel elements and the close coupling of the elements as shown in Fig. 6 which provides communication through the perforate bosses and knockouts.

Referring now to Fig. 6 it will also be noted that the arrangement of this invention also provides for branch circuit distribution of current in such manner as to eliminate extra wiring, conduits, nipples and kindred parts so that two classes of service may be had in a concentrated arrangement. Those conversant with the art will appreciate the fact that this arrangement eliminates separate or special switch boxes. Thus the box 59 may contain the fuses and their mountings for a 30 ampere circuit while the box 60 contains fuses and mountings for a 60 ampere circuit. These boxes have ordinary hinged covers. The boxes 59 and 60 have perforate bosses 40 as hereinbefore explained and the bottom of the wiring channel element has a double set of knockouts such as 360 and M0. The keyhole slots are reversed in the lowermost wiring channel so that boxes 59 and 60 may be mounted thereon after the channels are secured to a wall.

It will be understood that these several channel elements, and fuse boxes are adaptable for mounting at' the top of the switch boxes in the same manner, this arrangement .being often found desirable in industrial installations. 4

What is claimed is:

1. In combination an electric service box provided in its bottom wall with a central knockout and knockouts of reduced size on opposite sides thereof, a wiring channel member comprising a U-shaped member having a boss adapted to be disposed beneath the knockouts in the electric service box, the boss having a central perforation corresponding with the larger knockout of the electric service box and threaded perforations coinciding with the smaller knockouts in the electric service box, and screws adapted toand an upwardly extending boss on said top wall having an aperture providing communication through the boss into the interior of said channel element by way of the aperture in the top wall thereof and threaded perforations disposed laterally of said aperture.

3. In a switch bank installation the combination with a switch box, of a pair of wiring channel elements, uniform apertured bosses in the top walls of said channel elements and uniform knockouts in the bottom walls of the box and channel elements adapted to' coincide with the apertures in the bosses and means passing through the said bottom walls for connecting said bottom walls to the bosses.

4. In combination with an electrical equipment container, a wiring channel comprising a rear wall. a top wall and a bottom wall and a removable cover, the channel defined by said walls being open at its ends, the top wall having an apertured boss therein, said boss being further provided with threaded perforations.

5. In combination a row of substantially similar wiring channel elements adapted for end to end interlocking connection, an apertured boss disposed in the top wall of each of said channel elements, said bosses having threaded perforations and a wire receiving aperture therein and electric service boxes each having a wall abutting one of said bosses having removable knockouts corresponding in relative location to the aperture and perforations in the bosses and threaded means extending through knockouts in the electric service boxes and engaging the threaded perforations in the bosses whereby the electric service boxes are connected in predetermined spaced relation from one another to the several wiring channel elements and communication for wires is established between the boxes and the wiring channel.

6. In combination a wiring channel element having an open front and adapted to be secured upon a wall, an apertured boss formed at the top of said element, said boss being further provided with a pair of screw receiving threaded perforations, screws having heads extending above the boss, an electric service box having a knockout corresponding with the aperture in the boss and having a pair of smaller knockouts with restricted end portions adapted for receiving the shanks of the screws, the box being attachable to the channel element, in slightly spaced relation thereto by entering the screw heads through the non-restricted portion of the smaller knockouts and shifting the box transversely of the channel for disposing the restricted portion of said knockouts about the screw shanks whereby the bottom wall of the electric service box is retained between heads of the screws and the top of the boss.

7. In an electrical cabinet bank installation the combination with wiring channel elements adapted for end for end connection and in communication with one another, of elbow channel elements adapted for installation in and on 90 reentrant and salient angle corners respectively, complementary means on certain of said elements whereby communication and connection is established between superposed rows of channels and cabinets and removable cover means for all of said elements.

8. An open ended U-shaped wiring channel element adapted to cooperate with other and similar channel elements to provide a continuous conduit, said channel element comprising an apertured top wall and an upwardly extending apertured boss in registry with the aperture on said top wall, said aperture providing for communication at right angles into an apertured electrical equipment container in abutment upon the boss,

and container securing means associated with the boss.

9. An open ended U-shaped wiring channel element adapted to cooperate with other and similar channel elements to provide a continuous conduit, said channel element comprising a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a removable cover, one of said walls having an aperture therein, an apertured boss on the apertured wall providing for communication at right angles into an apertured electrical equipment container to be positioned upon the boss with its aperture in registration with the aperture of the boss, the boss of the channel element being provided further with threaded screw-receiving perforations.

10. In a banked switch electric service installation the combination of at least one wiring channel having an apertured wall, an apertured switch box removably connected to the apertured wall of the channel the apertures thereof being in registration to provide for intercommunication.

11. As a new article of manufacture an openended section of C-shaped wiring channel comprising a base, a top wall and a bottom wall, said walls being disposed substantially at right angles to the base and one of said walls being provided with a conductor receiving aperture, a securing means disposed on the apertured wall at a predetermined distance from the center of said aperture, weakened knock-out sections in the other of said walls, one of the knock-out sections being of substantially the shape of the aperture in the apertured wall and the other knock-out section being of key hole shape and disposed at a distance from the center of the other knock-out section approximately equal to the distance between the securing means and the center of the aperture in the apertured wall, and means adjacent to the open ends of the channel for connecting said ends to the ends of like channels.

12. As a new article of manufacture an openended section of C-shaped wiring channel comprising a base, a top wall and a bottom wall, said walls being disposed substantially at right angles to the base and one of said walls being provided with a conductor receiving aperture, a securing means disposed on the apertured wall at a predetermined distance from the center of said aperture, weakened knock-out sections in the other of said walls, one of the knock-out sections being of substantially the shape of the aperture in the apertured wall and the other knockout section being of key hole shape and disposed at a distance from the center of the other knockout section approximately equal to the distance between the securing means and the center of the aperture in the apertured wall, the constricted portion of the key hole shaped knockout being directed forwardly away from the base, and means adjacent to the open ends of the channel for connecting said ends to the ends of like channels.

13. A casing for electrical installations comprising an open front and open ended channel shaped base portion having a back wall with outwardly extending top and bottom walls said base portion being open and unobstructed across at least a part of the distance between said top and bottom walls from their front edges to the back wall and between the lateral edges thereof, the open sides of said base portion being provided with means to engage the open sides of other similar base portions with their respective top, bottom and back walls adjacent and extending in the same plane and forming a substantially open and unobstructed extension of the initially open sided base portion and said base portion being provided in one side wall with an opening and in the opposite side wall and oppositely disposed from said opening, another opening and means adjacent thereto adapted to engage the said oppositely disposed opening of another similar base portion.

14. A casing for. electrical installations comprising an open front and open ended channel shaped base portion having a back wall with outwardly extending top and bottom walls said base portion being open and unobstructed across at least a part of the distance between said top and bottom walls from their front edges to the bottom and back walls adjacent and extending in the same plane and forming a substantially open and unobstructed extension of the initial open sided base portion and said base portion being provided in one side wall with an opening and in the opposite side wall and oppositely disposed from said opening, another opening and means adjacent thereto adapted to engage a correspondingly disposed opening in an article of electrical equipment to be associated therewith. DAVID T. WADSWORTH. 

